The modern office environment has ever increasing demands with respect to not only the availability of effective work space, particularly in association with a worksurface, but also the efficient or effective utilization of available space around a worksurface. In addition, the widespread use of computers, printers and telecommunication equipment in the workplace and also in the home generally results in an excessive amount of wiring and cabling on and around the associated worksurface.
With regard to office-type environments, conventional wall panels which are frequently used to construct workstations typically include interior passages and storage areas for management of electrical and communication cables being routed to each workstation. However, to provide more flexibility in office areas, workstations are also being formed by arrangements of readily movable components such as freestanding tables, divider screens, and freestanding cabinets which open to define a workstation. Unlike wall panel arrangements, these transportable furniture components typically do not include separate storage chambers for electrical, communication and computer cabling. The excessive amount of wiring and/or cabling, and the lack of proper storage compartments provided in transportable furniture components can result in cluttering of the worksurface which is not only unsightly, but is also undesirable with respect to safety considerations.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved accessory which can be used in conjunction with a workstation furniture component such as a table, and which provides for the convenient and safe storage of cabling and wiring associated with electronic components such as computers and telephones in a manner so as not to interfere with the available space on the worksurface.
The invention relates to a storage bin for storing cabling associated with a workstation, which bin includes horizontally spaced front and rear walls, a bottom wall extending between the front and rear walls and a pair of side walls, which walls together define a hollow interior which opens upwardly through an open upper end of the bin. The storage bin also includes a mounting arrangement adapted for securing same to a worksurface adjacent a terminal edge portion thereof. The front wall defines therein a cable port in communication with the hollow interior and defining part of the open upper end of the bin. The storage bin is movable into an open configuration for providing access to the hollow interior thereof via the open upper end, and a closed configuration wherein the open upper end is partially closed off. The part of the open upper end defined by the cable port is positioned generally below the terminal edge portion of the worksurface in the closed configuration of the bin such that the cabling supported on the worksurface adjacent the terminal edge portion thereof is routable downwardly into the hollow interior through the cable port.
The invention also relates to a storage bin for storing cabling associated with a workstation having opposed front and rear walls, a bottom wall extending between lower edge portions of the front and rear walls, and a pair of side walls interconnecting the front and rear walls. The walls define a generally hollow interior of the bin which opens upwardly through an open upper end. Also included is a mounting arrangement adapted for securing the bin to a worksurface. Each of the side walls is embodied by a pair of overlapping side wall parts connected to generally upright side edges of the respective front and rear walls. Each of the side wall parts connected to the front wall are fixedly but slidably attached to the respective adjacent side wall part connected to the rear wall such that the front wall and its respective side wall parts are swingably removable relative to the rear wall and its respective side wall parts to permit the bin to be moveable into an open configuration for receiving cabling therein through the open upper end, and a closed configuration for storing cabling therein.
The desirable constructional and functional features of the present invention, as well as other operational advantages thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.